100% oil-free air for Farmalogica’s delicate processes

Farmalogica S.A., which develops, produces and sells pharmaceutical and surgical products, relies on an oil-free rotary tooth compressor ZT 37 full feature to supply Class 0 certified oil-free air for the penicillin and cephalosporin packaging process at its plant in Colombia.

Since the quality of the final product can be contaminated directly by compressed air, compressors play a critical role at Farmalogica. According to the 1998 World Health Organization guide to good manufacturing practice requirements, the compressed air process must be validated when preparing pharmaceutical products. This is the reason why Farmalogica must ensure that the supplied compressed air is 100% oil-free throughout the entire production process.

Avoiding contamination with ZT oil-free air compressor

“In a process as delicate as ours, which deals with a sterile product, contamination can lead to quality problems and even the complete shutdown of the plant by the regulating body. In addition, the quality of our end product is paramount.”

Robinson Pabon, Critical Support Systems Coordinator, Farmalogica

Pharma lab at Farmalogica, Columbia

To meet these strict requirements, the company chose an oil-free Class 0 rotary screw compressor ZT 37 full feature (FF).

The ZT 37 compressor provides pure, clean air that complies with the latest edition of ISO 8573-1. Class 0 means zero risk of contamination, zero risk of damaged or unsafe products and zero risk of losses from operational downtime. Atlas Copco was the first manufacturer in the world to receive such certification for an oil-free compressor.

The ZT series of oil-free rotary tooth compressors were developed specifically for applications that demand these higher levels of purity, often found in the pharmaceutical, electronics industries and food preparation. At Farmalogica, the Class Zero compressed air is used in the washing, powder dosing, capping, sealing and labeling processes.

“The new 2010 ISO 8573-1 standard requires a pharmaceutical-grade oil-free compressor that complies with various moisture characteristics. The dew point must enable the sterile conditions of the products to be maintained and prevent the product from becoming contaminated,” says Pabon.

A significant reduction in power consumption

Pharmaceutical production Farmalogica, Columbia

Robinson Pabon adds, “We have noticed a significant reduction in power consumption compared with the previous compressor, and the equipment’s efficiency has been really great, considering that our air demand tends to be fixed and that we run a 24-hour operation.”

In addition, the full feature concept with integrated dryer enables further compressed air quality while making the best use of valuable floor space.